959—963, the son and suc- tion, and would have declined it again but for the
cessor of Constantine VII.
cessor of Constantine VII.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - c
Hadr.
19).
She was
of Aegidius, however, was absorbed by other in represented clad in a long robe, and with a helmet,
testine troubles in Gaul, and caused no danger to in a sitting posture, strongly resembling the
Italy. Severus died in 465, perhaps poisoned by figures of the Greek Athena. She was in reality
Ricimer, and during eighteen months the empire the genius of the city of Rome, and was worshipped
was without an emperor, though not without a as such from early times; but it seems that previous
head, for that was always Ricimer's. The Ro- to the time of Augustus, there was no temple de-
mans, however, were displeased with his despotism, dicated to her in the city ; but afterwards their
and requested Leo to give them an emperor. An- number increased in all parts of the empire (Liv.
themius was accordingly proposed and accepted, xliii. 5 ; Tac. Ann. iv. 37; Dion Cass. li. p. 458 ; P.
not only by the people, but also by Ricimer, who Vict. Reg. Urb. iv. ). As Roma (pwun) also sig-
showed great diplomatic skill in this transaction : nifiedstrength,” it is not impossible that the ode
he made a sort of bargain with the successful can- of Erinna, addressed to Roma, may be an ode to
didate, and promised to lend him his assistance on the personification of strength.
condition that Anthemius should give him his 2. A Trojan captive, who advised her fellow-
daughter in marriage. This was accordingly com- captives on the coast of Italy to set fire to the fieet
## p. 655 (#671) ############################################
ROMANUS.
655
ROMANUS.
of the Greeks. (Plut. Romul. 1 ; Tzetz. ad Ly- his ship and made sail for Constantinople, he was
copil. 921. )
accused of treachery by Leo Phocas. It must,
3. A daughter of Italus and Lucania, or a however, be understood that both the accused and
daughter of Telephus. In some traditions she was the accuser aimed at supreme power, and Romanus
mid to have been the wife of Aeneas or Ascanius, left the theatre of the war, probably for the pur-
and to have given her name to the city of Rome. pose of being within reach of the throne, as well
(Plut. Romul. 2. )
(L. S. ) as of the man who wanted to place himself thereon.
ROMA'NUS, a friend of the younger Pliny, A civil war was on the point of breaking out,
to whom several of his letters are addressed (Ep. when Romanus, patronised and perbaps loved by
iv. 29, vi. 15, 33, viii. 8, ix. 7). Pliny had two the dowager empress, seized upon the chamberlain
friends of this name, Romanus Firmus and Voco Constantine, one of the most influential adherents of
nius Romanus, and it is probable that some of the Phocas, who avenged the captivity of his friend by
above letters are addressed to one of these persone, taking up arms. Romanus, who had been appointed
but it is impossible to say to which.
Magnus Heteriarcha, or commander in chief of the
ROMA'NUS, FIRMUS, a friend and muni- foreign body-guard of the emperor, worsted Phocas,
ceps of the younger Pliny, with whom the latter and in reward was made Cresar in September,
had been brought up, and to whom he addresses and crowned 18 Augustus and emperor on the
one of his letters, in which he offers to give him a 17th December, 919. He had previously given
sufficient sum of money to raise him to the eques- his daughter Helena in marriage to the young em-
trian rank. (Ep. i. 19. )
peror Constantine, and shortly after his accession
ROMANUS, FA'BIUS, one of the friends of he conferred the rank of Augustus and Augusta
the poet Lucan, accused Mela, the father of the upon his son Christopher and his wife Theodora.
poet, after the death of the latter, because Nero Romanus was now the legitimate colleague of
was anxious to obtain his property. (Tac. Ann. Constantine VII. , over whom he exercised such
xvi. 17. )
authority as to cause many plots against his life,
ROMA'NUS HISPO, a Roman rhetorician, and sometimes open rebellions, which he succeeded
who earned an infamous character by undertaking in quelling:
prosecutions to please the early emperors. He is The following are the principal events of his
first mentioned at the commencement of the reign reign. The great schism of the church, which had
of Tiberius, when he supported the accusation of lasted ever since the deposition of the patriarch
Caepio Crispinus against Granius Marcellus. In Euthymius and the famous fourth wedlock of the
A. D. 62, he accused Seneca as one of the associates emperor Leo VI. , was at last healed, in 920,
of C. Piso, but the accusation was retorted upon through the intervention of Pope JohnX. ; and by
him by Seneca (Tac. Ann. i. 74, xvi. 17). Ro- an edict of Constantine VII. of the same year, a
manus Hispo constantly occurs as one of the fourth marriage was declared anti-canonical, and
declaimers in the Controversiae of the elder made punishable. In 921 another of those inter-
Seneca.
minable wars with the Bulgarians, or perhaps only
ROMA'NUS, JUʻLIUS, a Roman poet, whose a fresh and formidable invasion, drew the attention
name is prefixed to an epigram on Petronius Ar- of Romanus towards the Danube, but the Bul-
biter in the Latin Anthology (ii. 235, ed. Bur- gariar. s saved him the trouble of going so far away
mann, No. 1544, ed. Meyer). This Julius, how from Constantinople by advancing thither with all
ever, as Niebuhr points out (Kleine Schriften, their force, and ravaging the country. This war
p. 347), is not an ancient writer, but Julius Sa- became still more formidable when Simeon, the
binus, otherwise called Julius Pomponius Laetus, king of the Bulgarians concluded, in 923, an al-
who died in the year 1497. (Comp. Meyer, Annot. liance with the Arabs. But we purposely refrain
ad Anthol. Lat. vol. ii. p. 122. )
from giving the details of these barbarous wars,
ROMANUS, VOCO'NIUS, a fellow-student presenting little more than an uninterrupted series
and an intimate friend of the younger Pliny, was of bloodshed and devastations without profit to
the son of an illustrious Roman eques, and his either party. A remarkable interview between
mother belonged to one of the most distinguished Romanus and Simeon, which took place in 926,
families in Nearer Spain (Plin. Ep. ii. 13). If | under the walls of Constantinople, put a temporary
we may trust the testimony of his friend, Voco- end to these troubles. In the previous year the
nius was a distinguished orator, and possessed patrician John Radinus worsted and destroyed the
great skill in composition. Several of Pliny's let- fleet of the famous pirate chief Leo, of Tripolis,
ters are addressed to him, (Ep. i. 5, v. 1, ix. who had sacked Thessalonica twenty-two years pre-
28. )
viously. In 927 King Simeon died, after having
ROMA'NUS I. , LECAPE'NUS ('Papavós o ruined Bulgaria through his very victories, and was
Aarannvós), Byzantine emperor from A. D. 919 succeeded by his son Peter, who was less warlike,
–944, was the son of Theophylactus Abastactus, though not less courageous than his father ; for he
a brave warrior, who had once saved the life of entered the Byzantine territory at the head of a
the emperor Basil. Romanus served in the im- strong army, proposing to the emperor to choose
perial feet, distinguished himself on many occa- between war and peace, on condition of his giving
sions, and enjoyed the esteem of his fellow-soldiers him his grand-daughter in marriage, a proposition
on account of his rare bravery. One of his men which Romanus the more eagerly accepted, as he
having been attacked by a lion, Romanus, who wanted all his forces to check the progress of the
was near, rushed to his assistance and killed the Arabs. His possessions in Italy also required pro-
monster in single combat. When the young tection against the petty Lombard princes. In 901
Constantine VII. Porphyrogenitus, ascended the Christopher died, the eldest son of Romanus and hus-
throne, Romanus was high admiral, and com- band of Sophia, the daughter of Nicetas magister
manded the fleet on the Danube in the war with palatii, who a short time previously had been sent
the Bulgarians, but as he suddenly withdrew with into a convent for a conspiracy against the emperor,
## p. 656 (#672) ############################################
656
ROMANUS.
ROMANUS.
Romanus, 60 wise in many respects, compromised | father, was no sooner independent than she excited
himself extremely in 933, by making his son Romanus against his own family ; his five sisters
Theophylactus, a lad of sixteen, patriarch of Con- were compelled to leave the palace, and confined
stantinople, after first obtaining the approbation of in the same convent where Sophia, the widow of
Pope John XI.
Theophylactus proved a very Christophorus Augustus bad then been during
miserable prelate. From 934 to 940 the empire thirty years ; but the empress dowager, Helena,
enjoyed an almost universal peace, Italy excepted, possessed too much energy to yield to her daughter-
where the petty warfare with the Lombard princes in-law, and she accordingly remained in the palace,
went on as before. But in 941 Constantinople but she died soon afterwards of a broken heart.
was in terror at the sudden appearance of a Rus- | Although Romanus never showed himself in the
bian fleet of 10,000 boats, commanded by Prince field, he had two renowned generals by whom
Ingor, who cast anchor at the very entrance of the some glorious deeds were done, namely, the two
Bosporus, and whose troops ravaged the neighbour brothers Nicephorus and Leo Phocas. Nicephorus
ing country. Romanus, however, equipped in all recovered the flourishing island of Creta, after a
haste a small number of galleys (15? ) lying in long siege of its capital Candia, and after the
the Golden Horn, with which Theophanes boldly Arabs had ruled there during 150 years (961);
attacked the Russians, destroyed a great number and Leo was successful against the Arabs in Asia.
of their boats, and compelled Ingor to fly. Theo- After the fall of Candia, and the splendid triumph
phanes soon afterwards obtained a second victory of Nicephorus in Constantinople, the two brothers
over the rest of the fleet on the coast of Thrace, joined their forces against the Arabs, and obtained
and of this formidable armada very little came most signal victories over them. A rumour having
back to Russia. Ingor died soon afterwards, and spread of the death of Romanus, Nicephorus ap-
in 945 his wife Olga came to Constantinople to proached the capital through fear of Bringas ; but
receive baptism : she was christened Helena, and the rumour was false, and Nicephorus remained in
is held in the utmost veneration in the Russian Asia, observing Constantinople. Events showed
church.
the prudence of this step ; for Romanus, already
Down to this period Constantine Porphyrogeni- exhausted by his mode of life, was despatched by
tus, although the legitimate emperor by descent, poison administered to him by his own wife Theo-
had only enjoyed the title of his rank, and he now phano. He died on the 15th of March, 963, at
resolved upon having the power also. To this the age of twenty-four. Ambition, and perhaps
effect he excited the ambition of the two sur- the secret advice of the eunuch Bringas, urged
viving sons of Romanus, Stephanus and Constan- Theophano to commit the foul deed. Romanus
tine, both Augusti, who in their turn were tired married first Bertha, afterwards called Eudoxia,
of the autocracy of their aged father. A con- the natural daughter of Hugo, king of Italy, who
spiracy was set on foot, headed by Stephanus, who died a child before the marriage was consummated.
had the assistance of several energetic and distin. By his second wife Anastasia, afterwards called
guished men. Sure of success, he suddenly seized Theophano, a woman of base extraction, he left
upon the person of his father, and with secret two sons, Basil II. and Constantine VIII. , who
despatch had him carried to the island of Protea, followed him on the throne, and two daughters,
at the entrance of the Propontis, where Romanus Theophano, who married Otho II. emperor of Ger-
was thrown into a convent and had his head many, an excellent woman, who became the an-
shaved forth with, as he was thus rendered incom- cestress of most of the reigning houses in Europe,
petent to reign (20th of December, 944). The and Anna Posthuma, who married Wladimir, first
Bons of Romanus, however, did not reap the fruits Christian prince of Russia. (Cedren. p. 642, &c. ;
of their treachery, for Constantine VII. was pro- | Zonar. vol. ii. p. 196, &c. ; Manass. p. 115, Glyc.
claimed sole emperor, after the unnatural children p. 304 ; Leo Diacon. p. 500, &c. in the Paris
of the deposed emperor had enjoyed the title of editions. )
(W. P. )
co-emperors during the short space of five weeks. ROMANUS III. , ARGYRUS or ARGY.
They were then arrested and sent to Protea, where ROPU'LUS ('Pwpavós ó 'Apyupos or ó Apyupó-
a touching interview took place between them and Toulos), Byzantine emperor from A. D. 1028 —
their unfortunate father. Stephanus died nineteen 1034, was the son of Leo Argyrus Dux, and
years afterwards in exile, and Constantine sur- belonged to a distinguished family. Romanus
vived his captivity only two years, when he was obtained such military glory in the reign of Con-
massacred in an attempt at making his escape. stantine VIII. , that this prince appointed him his
Romanus lived a quiet monkish life in his con- successor, and offered him the hand of one of his
vent, and died a natural death on the 15th of June, daughters, a few days before he died. Romanus
(Cedren. p. 614, &c. ; Leo. Diacon. p. was married to Helena, a virtuous woman, whom
492, &c. ; Manass. p. 111, &c. ; Zonaras, vol. ii
. he tenderly loved, and declined both the crown
p. 186, &c. ; Glycas, p. 300, &c. all in the Paris and the bride. Constantine, however, left him the
editions. )
[W. P. ) choice between his offer, or the loss of his eyes.
ROMANUS II. , or the Younger, Byzantine Even then Romanus did not yield to the tempta-
emperor from A. D.
959—963, the son and suc- tion, and would have declined it again but for the
cessor of Constantine VII. Porphyrogenitus, was prayers of his own wife, who implored hiin to
born in 939, and succeeded his father on the accept both, and rather sacrifice her than the em-
fifteenth of November 959. His short reign pire. Their marriage was accordingly dissolved ;
offers a few events of note. Endowed with and Romanus, now married to the princess Zoë,
great personal beauty and bodily strength, he succeeded Constantine on the 12th of Novem-
preferred gymnastics, hunting, and other pleasures ber, 1028. He was a brare, well-instructed man,
to the duties of an emperor, which he left to perhaps learned ; but he over-valued himself,
bis minister Bringas. His wretched wife Theo- and thought himself the best general and the best
phano, who had persuaded him to poison his scholar of his time. Numerous acts of liberality
948.
;
## p. 657 (#673) ############################################
ROMANUS.
657
ROMANUS.
and clemency gained him the hearts of his new the throne. After the death of Constantine, and
subjects at the very beginning of his reign, but during the reign of his widow Eudoxia, he became
did not prevent some court conspiracies. At the bolder ; but his manoeuvres were seen through,
same time his arms met with disgrace in Sicily and he was arrested, tried, and sentenced to death.
and Syria, nor did he retrieve his fortune when he Previous to execution he was presented to the em-
took the field in person. The Arabs worsted him press; and as he had obtained great military re-
near Azar in Syria, and he only escaped captivity nown, and was besides a remarkably handsome
by shutting himself up in Antioch (1030), whence man, he made such a visible impression upon Eu-
he hastened to Constantinople. His lieutenants doxia, that his judges thought it convenient to
Nicetas and Simeon, and especially Theoctistes, annul their sentence, in consequence of which he
however, soon restored the honour of the Greek was sent into nominal exile in his native country
armies. Their success so mortified Argyrus that Cappadocia Two days after his departure he was
he became the prey of a deep melancholy, and joined by some messengers of the empress, who or-
only occupied himself with building churches and dered him to return to Constantinople. At his
convents, his wife Zoë scizing the reins of the arrival there he was immediately appointed com-
empire. Meanwhile the war with the Arabs was mander-in-chief of the army. The end of this
carried on with varying success, till at last the farce was his marriage with the emipress, and his
Grecks obtained great advantages in a decisive proclamation as emperor three days after their
naval engagement, and by the conguest of Edessa, marriage. Constantine X. , however, had left three
which was obliged to surrender in 1033. But the song, who considered themselves prejudiced through
plague ravaged the provinces, and in the North the accession of Romanus, and entered into a dan-
ihe Patzinegues and other barbarians made de gerous plot against his life ; but their mother suc-
structive inroads. These disasters roused Romanus ceeded in pacifying them, and submitting them to
from his indolence. But it was too late: he had her authority. There remained, however, a strong
made himself unpopular for ever, and his own party of malcontents at the court, composed of
family had become strangers to bim. The more eminent and high-born men. Romanus, active and
his generals were successful against the Arabs, the energetic, not only counteracted their plans, but in-
more the nation became convinced that without troduced measures of radical reform into the cor-
him still greater advantages might be obtained. rupted administration, and freed himself from the
Hence arose a criminal intrigue betweeen Zoë, an authority of his wife, by leaving Constantinople
ambitious and voluptuous wife, though past fifty, and keeping his court on the Asiatic side of the
and the general Michael, surnamed Paphlago. Zoë Bosporus.
administered a slow poison to her husband, in To these domestic quarrels the Turks put a sud-
consequence of which he died a lingering death den end. Their sultan, Alp-Arslán, approached
(1034), which was accelerated by the cruel deed | by rapid marches from the shores of the Caspian
of Zoë's assistants, who held the enfeebled em- and the highlands of northern Persia, while one of
peror, who was taking a bath, under water till life his lieutenants attacked Syria. Romanus took the
was nearly gone. Half dead, he was taken out field against them with his usual energy and
and placed on a bed, when his wife despatched promptitude. His intention was to cover Syria,
him by a dose of active poison. Romanus died at and he was already on its frontiers when he was
the age of sixty-six, and was succeeded by Mi- informed of the progress of the Turkish arms in the
chael IV. the Paphlagonian, who married Zoë. North. He consequently left Syria to his generals,
It is certain that Romanus left no issue by Zoë, and marched to Pontus with such rapidity, that he
and it is doubtful whether he had any by Helena ; surprised and routed several Turkish bodies sta-
but his family continued to flourish in Constanti- tioned on its frontier. This was sufficient to keep
nople down to its capture by the Turks, and more the main body of the Turks within Persia. Roo
than 150 years afterwards. (Cedren. p. 722, &c. ; manus therefore hastened back to Syria. He made
Zonar, vol. ii. p. 229, &c. ; Manass. p. 123; Glyc. a successful campaign down to Antioch and up
p. 311, &c. )
(W. P. ] again along the Euphrates, and wherever he carried
ROMA'NUS IV. DIO'GENES ('Pwuards ó his arms the enemy was worsted. One of his ge-
Aloyéms), Byzantine emperor from A. D. 1067— nerals, less fortunate, or less skilful, was surprised
1071, was the son of one Constantine Dingenes, a by the Turks, and lost the day and half of his
rather extravagant character, who conspired against army. Romanus flew to his support; and in a
the emperor Romanus Argyrus, but escaped pursuit nocturnal engagement, took the camp of the Turks
by leaping out of a high window. Romanus Dio and routed them with great slaughter (20th of
genes was the grand-nephew of Romanus Argyrus, November, 1068). He then marched again up
through his mother; and enjoying the patronage the Euphrates as far as Ara, constantly annoyed
of the court notwithstanding his father's conduct, by the light troops of the enemy ; but he placed
soon rose to the dignities of patrician and duke of his troops in good and safe winter-quarters, and
Sardica or Triaditza. In the reign of Constantine returned to the capital. Eudoxia, reconciled to
X. Ducas, he solicited the place of Magnus Ves- her husband, had meanwhile governed the state
tiaring, and having received the answer : “ Deserre with wisdom ; and, in acknowledgment of the vic.
it through your merits," forth with returned to Sartories of the emperor, presented him with a sort of
dica, sallied out with the garrison, and routed a miscellaneous work, entitled " Ionia,” which she
party of Patzinegue marauders, of whose heads had just finished. The campaign was renewed in
he sent a collection to Constantinople. The em- 1069, and the imperial arms were again successful,
peror returned the compliment by granting him the though not uniformly so, as the Turks succeeded
desired appointment, adding: “ You owe your pre- in taking and pillaging Iconivm. The third cam-
ferment not to me, but to your sword. ” This paign, in 1070, was carried on under the command-
piqued Romanus ; and from that time he enter-in-chief of Manuel Comnenus, the emperor requir-
tiined schemes of rebellion and of raising himself to ling repose after so many fatigues. Ere long, news
VOL. III,
UU
## p. 658 (#674) ############################################
656
ROMILIUS.
ROMULUS.
3
renched the court that Manuel had been defeated with his colleague, and sentenced to pay a heavy
and taken prisoner. The emperor was artfully fine.
persuaded by some false friends to refrain from ROMI'LIUS MARCELLUS, one of the cen-
taking the command once more, and matters would turions of the army in Germany, who espoused the
have taken a bad turn, but for the rare shrewdness cause of Galba, and was in conseqnence put to
of Manuel. It happened that Chrysoscul, the death. (Tac. Hist. i. 56, 59. )
victorious Turkish general, pretended to have a ROMİ'LIUS PO'LLIO. (Pollio. ]
better right to the sultanship than Alp-Arslán, and ROMUʻLIUS DENTER, is said to have been
Manuel was no sooner aware of it than, a real appointed praefectus urbi by Romulus. (Tac. Ann.
Comnene as he was, he persuaded him to desert vi. 11. )
the sultan, and fly with him to Constantinople, RO'MULUS, the founder of the city of Rome.
promising him the assistance of the emperor for the It is unnecess:iry in the present work to prore
recovery of his rights. The vanquished thus led that all the stories about Romulus are mythical,
his victor to Constantinople, to the utmost asto- and merely represent the traditional belief of the
nishment of the court. Romanus took as much Roman people respecting their origin. Romulus,
advantage of this strange incident as circumstances which is only a lengthened form of Romus, is
would allow; and, in 1071, again set out in person simply the Roman people represented as an indi.
against Alp-Arslán. But little acquainted with vidual, and must be placed in the same category as
human baseness, he left many of his real friends at Aeolus, Dorus, and Ion, the reputed ancestors of
home, and took with him many a secret enemy the Aeolians, Dorians, and Ionians, owing to the
invested with high power. He penetrated as far universal practice of antiquity to represent nations
as the Araxes, not without a manly resistance from as springing from eponymous ancestors. But
the Turks and many a partial defeat of his ge- although none of the inies about Romulus can be
nerals. His position in those wild regions became received as an historical fact, yet it is of importance
dangerous, but he stoutly refused the peace offered to know the general belief of the Roman people
to himn by the sultan. Upon this a pitched battle respecting the life of the founder of their city. It
was fought at Manzicert on the Araxes (26th of is, however, very difficult to ascertain the original
August, 1071); and owing to the treachery of some form of the legend ; since poets, on the one hand,
of his officers, no less than to the valour of Alp- embellished it with the creations of their own
Arslán, Romanus lost the day and his liberty. It fancy, and historians, on the other hand, omitted
has been said that the noble sultan ill-treated his many of its most marvellous incidents, in order to
captive, but this is not true, on the contrary he re- reduce it to the form of a probable history. The
ceived him well, and discoursed with him as a rarious tales related respecting the foundation of
friend. " What would you have done with me," kome may be reduced to two classes, one of Greek
asked the sultan, “if I had been your prisoner ? ” and the other of native origin. The former bring
“ Beaten you to death,” was the Byzantine's answer. Romulus into close connection with Aeneas. A
"I will treat you differently," replied the barbarian few Greek writers make Aeneas the founder of
infidel, “and according to the precepts of your own Rome, and speak of his wife under the name of
religion, which commands humanity and forgive- Roma ; others represent Romulus as his son or a
ness of injuries. ” Alp-Arslán accordingly gave remote descendant; but the greater part make
him 10,000 pieces of gold, and all those prisoners him his grandson by his daughter Ilia In mos:
whom the emperor chose to pick out. Upon this of these accounts the twin brothers are spoken of,
a peace was concluded on equitable terms, except but they appear under the names of Romulus and
a ransom of 1,500,000, and an annual tribute of Romus, not Remus (comp. Dionys. i. 72, 73;
360,000 pieces of gold. Ronianus shed tears when Plut. Rom. 2, 3; Serv. ad Virg. Aen. i. 274 ;
he took leave of his noble victor, who allowed him Festus, s. v. Roma). These accounts, however,
to return to Constantinople before the conditions of scarcely deserve the name of traditions, as Nie-
the treaty of peace were fulfilled. The news of buhr has remarked; they are for the most part the
this disaster caused a complete revolution in the inventions of Greek writers, who were ignorant of
capital, so that when Romanus appeared at its gates, the native legend, but having heard of the fame of
he was refused admittance. Michael Parapinaces Rome, wished to assign to it an origin.
had been raised to the imperial diguity, but Ro- The old Roman legend was of a very diſ-
manus did his utmost to crush him and recover his ferent kind. It was preserved in popular poems,
throne. He was not successful. Twice defeated which were handed down from generation to
in pitched battles, he at last surrendered, and was generation, and some of which were in existence
put to death by order of Michael. Romanus left in the time of Dionysius (i. 79); and it seems
three sons, of whom Nicephorus made himself to have been recorded in prose in its most ge-
conspicuous in after years. The reign of Romanus muine form by the annalist Q. Fabius Pictor, who
Diogenes, though short, is full of highly interesting lived during the second Punic War. This legend
events, especially of military adventures, such as probably ran nearly as follows:--At Alba Longa
those of the noble Scot Ursel or Russell Baliol ; I there reigned a succession of kings, descended
but space forbids us to enter upon these details. from Iulus, the son of Aeneas. One of the last of
(Zonar. vol. ii. p. 277, &c. ; Glycas, p. 326, &c. ; these kings left two sons, Numitor and Amulins.
Manass. p. 131 ; Bryenn. p. 112, &c. , in the Paris The latter, who was the younger, deprived Numi-
editions. )
[W. P. ] tor of the kingdom, but allowed him to live in the
T. ROMI'LIUS ROCUS VATICA'NUS, was enjoyment of his private fortune. Fearful, how-
consul B. C. 455, with C. Veturius Geminus Cicu- ever, lest the heirs of Numitor might not submit so
rinus, and was a member of the first decemvirate, quietly to his usurpation, he caused his only son
B. C. 451 (Liv. iii. 31, 33; Dionys. x. 33, &c. ; 56). to be murdered, and made his daughter Silvia
Respecting the events in the year of his consulship,
See CICURINUS, No. f. He was condemned along Many writers call her Rhea or Rea Silvia. Nie
:
## p. 659 (#675) ############################################
ROMULUS.
659
ROMULUS.
one of the Vestal virgins. As Silvia one day went | Alba. As the brothers possessed equal authority
into the sacred grove, to draw water for the service and power, a strife arose between them where the
of the goddess, a wolf met her, and she fled into city should be built, who should be its founder,
a care for safety ; there, while a total eclipse ob- and after whose name it should be called. Ro-
scured the sun, Mars himself overpowered her, and mulus wished to build it on the Palatine, Remus
then consoled her with the promise that she should on the Aventine, or, according to another tradition,
be the mother of heroic children (Serv. ad Virg. on another hill three or four miles lower down the
Aen. i. 274 ; Dionys. ii. 56 ; Plut. Rom. 27). river, called Remuria or Remoria, which Niebuhr
When her time came, she brought forth twins. supposes to be the bill beyond S. Paolo (comp.
Amulius doomed the guilty Vestal and her babes to Dionys. i. 85 ; Plut. Rom. 9). It was agreed
be drowned in the river. In the Anio Silvia ex- that the question should be decided by augury ;
changed her earthly life for that of a goddess, and and each took his station on the top of his chosen
became the wife of the river-god. The strain hill. The night passed away, and as the day was
carried the cradle in which the children were lying dawning Remus saw six vultures ; but at sun-rise,
into the Tiber, which had overflowed its banks when these tidings were brought to Romulus,
far and wide. It was stranded at the foot of the twelve vultures flew liy bim. Ench claimed the
Palatine, and overturned on the root of a wild fig. augury in his own favour ; but most of the shep-
tree, which, under the name of the Ficus Rumi- herds decided for Romulus, and Remus was there-
nalis, was preserved and held sacred for many ages fore obliged to yield. Romulus now proceeded to
after.
of Aegidius, however, was absorbed by other in represented clad in a long robe, and with a helmet,
testine troubles in Gaul, and caused no danger to in a sitting posture, strongly resembling the
Italy. Severus died in 465, perhaps poisoned by figures of the Greek Athena. She was in reality
Ricimer, and during eighteen months the empire the genius of the city of Rome, and was worshipped
was without an emperor, though not without a as such from early times; but it seems that previous
head, for that was always Ricimer's. The Ro- to the time of Augustus, there was no temple de-
mans, however, were displeased with his despotism, dicated to her in the city ; but afterwards their
and requested Leo to give them an emperor. An- number increased in all parts of the empire (Liv.
themius was accordingly proposed and accepted, xliii. 5 ; Tac. Ann. iv. 37; Dion Cass. li. p. 458 ; P.
not only by the people, but also by Ricimer, who Vict. Reg. Urb. iv. ). As Roma (pwun) also sig-
showed great diplomatic skill in this transaction : nifiedstrength,” it is not impossible that the ode
he made a sort of bargain with the successful can- of Erinna, addressed to Roma, may be an ode to
didate, and promised to lend him his assistance on the personification of strength.
condition that Anthemius should give him his 2. A Trojan captive, who advised her fellow-
daughter in marriage. This was accordingly com- captives on the coast of Italy to set fire to the fieet
## p. 655 (#671) ############################################
ROMANUS.
655
ROMANUS.
of the Greeks. (Plut. Romul. 1 ; Tzetz. ad Ly- his ship and made sail for Constantinople, he was
copil. 921. )
accused of treachery by Leo Phocas. It must,
3. A daughter of Italus and Lucania, or a however, be understood that both the accused and
daughter of Telephus. In some traditions she was the accuser aimed at supreme power, and Romanus
mid to have been the wife of Aeneas or Ascanius, left the theatre of the war, probably for the pur-
and to have given her name to the city of Rome. pose of being within reach of the throne, as well
(Plut. Romul. 2. )
(L. S. ) as of the man who wanted to place himself thereon.
ROMA'NUS, a friend of the younger Pliny, A civil war was on the point of breaking out,
to whom several of his letters are addressed (Ep. when Romanus, patronised and perbaps loved by
iv. 29, vi. 15, 33, viii. 8, ix. 7). Pliny had two the dowager empress, seized upon the chamberlain
friends of this name, Romanus Firmus and Voco Constantine, one of the most influential adherents of
nius Romanus, and it is probable that some of the Phocas, who avenged the captivity of his friend by
above letters are addressed to one of these persone, taking up arms. Romanus, who had been appointed
but it is impossible to say to which.
Magnus Heteriarcha, or commander in chief of the
ROMA'NUS, FIRMUS, a friend and muni- foreign body-guard of the emperor, worsted Phocas,
ceps of the younger Pliny, with whom the latter and in reward was made Cresar in September,
had been brought up, and to whom he addresses and crowned 18 Augustus and emperor on the
one of his letters, in which he offers to give him a 17th December, 919. He had previously given
sufficient sum of money to raise him to the eques- his daughter Helena in marriage to the young em-
trian rank. (Ep. i. 19. )
peror Constantine, and shortly after his accession
ROMANUS, FA'BIUS, one of the friends of he conferred the rank of Augustus and Augusta
the poet Lucan, accused Mela, the father of the upon his son Christopher and his wife Theodora.
poet, after the death of the latter, because Nero Romanus was now the legitimate colleague of
was anxious to obtain his property. (Tac. Ann. Constantine VII. , over whom he exercised such
xvi. 17. )
authority as to cause many plots against his life,
ROMA'NUS HISPO, a Roman rhetorician, and sometimes open rebellions, which he succeeded
who earned an infamous character by undertaking in quelling:
prosecutions to please the early emperors. He is The following are the principal events of his
first mentioned at the commencement of the reign reign. The great schism of the church, which had
of Tiberius, when he supported the accusation of lasted ever since the deposition of the patriarch
Caepio Crispinus against Granius Marcellus. In Euthymius and the famous fourth wedlock of the
A. D. 62, he accused Seneca as one of the associates emperor Leo VI. , was at last healed, in 920,
of C. Piso, but the accusation was retorted upon through the intervention of Pope JohnX. ; and by
him by Seneca (Tac. Ann. i. 74, xvi. 17). Ro- an edict of Constantine VII. of the same year, a
manus Hispo constantly occurs as one of the fourth marriage was declared anti-canonical, and
declaimers in the Controversiae of the elder made punishable. In 921 another of those inter-
Seneca.
minable wars with the Bulgarians, or perhaps only
ROMA'NUS, JUʻLIUS, a Roman poet, whose a fresh and formidable invasion, drew the attention
name is prefixed to an epigram on Petronius Ar- of Romanus towards the Danube, but the Bul-
biter in the Latin Anthology (ii. 235, ed. Bur- gariar. s saved him the trouble of going so far away
mann, No. 1544, ed. Meyer). This Julius, how from Constantinople by advancing thither with all
ever, as Niebuhr points out (Kleine Schriften, their force, and ravaging the country. This war
p. 347), is not an ancient writer, but Julius Sa- became still more formidable when Simeon, the
binus, otherwise called Julius Pomponius Laetus, king of the Bulgarians concluded, in 923, an al-
who died in the year 1497. (Comp. Meyer, Annot. liance with the Arabs. But we purposely refrain
ad Anthol. Lat. vol. ii. p. 122. )
from giving the details of these barbarous wars,
ROMANUS, VOCO'NIUS, a fellow-student presenting little more than an uninterrupted series
and an intimate friend of the younger Pliny, was of bloodshed and devastations without profit to
the son of an illustrious Roman eques, and his either party. A remarkable interview between
mother belonged to one of the most distinguished Romanus and Simeon, which took place in 926,
families in Nearer Spain (Plin. Ep. ii. 13). If | under the walls of Constantinople, put a temporary
we may trust the testimony of his friend, Voco- end to these troubles. In the previous year the
nius was a distinguished orator, and possessed patrician John Radinus worsted and destroyed the
great skill in composition. Several of Pliny's let- fleet of the famous pirate chief Leo, of Tripolis,
ters are addressed to him, (Ep. i. 5, v. 1, ix. who had sacked Thessalonica twenty-two years pre-
28. )
viously. In 927 King Simeon died, after having
ROMA'NUS I. , LECAPE'NUS ('Papavós o ruined Bulgaria through his very victories, and was
Aarannvós), Byzantine emperor from A. D. 919 succeeded by his son Peter, who was less warlike,
–944, was the son of Theophylactus Abastactus, though not less courageous than his father ; for he
a brave warrior, who had once saved the life of entered the Byzantine territory at the head of a
the emperor Basil. Romanus served in the im- strong army, proposing to the emperor to choose
perial feet, distinguished himself on many occa- between war and peace, on condition of his giving
sions, and enjoyed the esteem of his fellow-soldiers him his grand-daughter in marriage, a proposition
on account of his rare bravery. One of his men which Romanus the more eagerly accepted, as he
having been attacked by a lion, Romanus, who wanted all his forces to check the progress of the
was near, rushed to his assistance and killed the Arabs. His possessions in Italy also required pro-
monster in single combat. When the young tection against the petty Lombard princes. In 901
Constantine VII. Porphyrogenitus, ascended the Christopher died, the eldest son of Romanus and hus-
throne, Romanus was high admiral, and com- band of Sophia, the daughter of Nicetas magister
manded the fleet on the Danube in the war with palatii, who a short time previously had been sent
the Bulgarians, but as he suddenly withdrew with into a convent for a conspiracy against the emperor,
## p. 656 (#672) ############################################
656
ROMANUS.
ROMANUS.
Romanus, 60 wise in many respects, compromised | father, was no sooner independent than she excited
himself extremely in 933, by making his son Romanus against his own family ; his five sisters
Theophylactus, a lad of sixteen, patriarch of Con- were compelled to leave the palace, and confined
stantinople, after first obtaining the approbation of in the same convent where Sophia, the widow of
Pope John XI.
Theophylactus proved a very Christophorus Augustus bad then been during
miserable prelate. From 934 to 940 the empire thirty years ; but the empress dowager, Helena,
enjoyed an almost universal peace, Italy excepted, possessed too much energy to yield to her daughter-
where the petty warfare with the Lombard princes in-law, and she accordingly remained in the palace,
went on as before. But in 941 Constantinople but she died soon afterwards of a broken heart.
was in terror at the sudden appearance of a Rus- | Although Romanus never showed himself in the
bian fleet of 10,000 boats, commanded by Prince field, he had two renowned generals by whom
Ingor, who cast anchor at the very entrance of the some glorious deeds were done, namely, the two
Bosporus, and whose troops ravaged the neighbour brothers Nicephorus and Leo Phocas. Nicephorus
ing country. Romanus, however, equipped in all recovered the flourishing island of Creta, after a
haste a small number of galleys (15? ) lying in long siege of its capital Candia, and after the
the Golden Horn, with which Theophanes boldly Arabs had ruled there during 150 years (961);
attacked the Russians, destroyed a great number and Leo was successful against the Arabs in Asia.
of their boats, and compelled Ingor to fly. Theo- After the fall of Candia, and the splendid triumph
phanes soon afterwards obtained a second victory of Nicephorus in Constantinople, the two brothers
over the rest of the fleet on the coast of Thrace, joined their forces against the Arabs, and obtained
and of this formidable armada very little came most signal victories over them. A rumour having
back to Russia. Ingor died soon afterwards, and spread of the death of Romanus, Nicephorus ap-
in 945 his wife Olga came to Constantinople to proached the capital through fear of Bringas ; but
receive baptism : she was christened Helena, and the rumour was false, and Nicephorus remained in
is held in the utmost veneration in the Russian Asia, observing Constantinople. Events showed
church.
the prudence of this step ; for Romanus, already
Down to this period Constantine Porphyrogeni- exhausted by his mode of life, was despatched by
tus, although the legitimate emperor by descent, poison administered to him by his own wife Theo-
had only enjoyed the title of his rank, and he now phano. He died on the 15th of March, 963, at
resolved upon having the power also. To this the age of twenty-four. Ambition, and perhaps
effect he excited the ambition of the two sur- the secret advice of the eunuch Bringas, urged
viving sons of Romanus, Stephanus and Constan- Theophano to commit the foul deed. Romanus
tine, both Augusti, who in their turn were tired married first Bertha, afterwards called Eudoxia,
of the autocracy of their aged father. A con- the natural daughter of Hugo, king of Italy, who
spiracy was set on foot, headed by Stephanus, who died a child before the marriage was consummated.
had the assistance of several energetic and distin. By his second wife Anastasia, afterwards called
guished men. Sure of success, he suddenly seized Theophano, a woman of base extraction, he left
upon the person of his father, and with secret two sons, Basil II. and Constantine VIII. , who
despatch had him carried to the island of Protea, followed him on the throne, and two daughters,
at the entrance of the Propontis, where Romanus Theophano, who married Otho II. emperor of Ger-
was thrown into a convent and had his head many, an excellent woman, who became the an-
shaved forth with, as he was thus rendered incom- cestress of most of the reigning houses in Europe,
petent to reign (20th of December, 944). The and Anna Posthuma, who married Wladimir, first
Bons of Romanus, however, did not reap the fruits Christian prince of Russia. (Cedren. p. 642, &c. ;
of their treachery, for Constantine VII. was pro- | Zonar. vol. ii. p. 196, &c. ; Manass. p. 115, Glyc.
claimed sole emperor, after the unnatural children p. 304 ; Leo Diacon. p. 500, &c. in the Paris
of the deposed emperor had enjoyed the title of editions. )
(W. P. )
co-emperors during the short space of five weeks. ROMANUS III. , ARGYRUS or ARGY.
They were then arrested and sent to Protea, where ROPU'LUS ('Pwpavós ó 'Apyupos or ó Apyupó-
a touching interview took place between them and Toulos), Byzantine emperor from A. D. 1028 —
their unfortunate father. Stephanus died nineteen 1034, was the son of Leo Argyrus Dux, and
years afterwards in exile, and Constantine sur- belonged to a distinguished family. Romanus
vived his captivity only two years, when he was obtained such military glory in the reign of Con-
massacred in an attempt at making his escape. stantine VIII. , that this prince appointed him his
Romanus lived a quiet monkish life in his con- successor, and offered him the hand of one of his
vent, and died a natural death on the 15th of June, daughters, a few days before he died. Romanus
(Cedren. p. 614, &c. ; Leo. Diacon. p. was married to Helena, a virtuous woman, whom
492, &c. ; Manass. p. 111, &c. ; Zonaras, vol. ii
. he tenderly loved, and declined both the crown
p. 186, &c. ; Glycas, p. 300, &c. all in the Paris and the bride. Constantine, however, left him the
editions. )
[W. P. ) choice between his offer, or the loss of his eyes.
ROMANUS II. , or the Younger, Byzantine Even then Romanus did not yield to the tempta-
emperor from A. D.
959—963, the son and suc- tion, and would have declined it again but for the
cessor of Constantine VII. Porphyrogenitus, was prayers of his own wife, who implored hiin to
born in 939, and succeeded his father on the accept both, and rather sacrifice her than the em-
fifteenth of November 959. His short reign pire. Their marriage was accordingly dissolved ;
offers a few events of note. Endowed with and Romanus, now married to the princess Zoë,
great personal beauty and bodily strength, he succeeded Constantine on the 12th of Novem-
preferred gymnastics, hunting, and other pleasures ber, 1028. He was a brare, well-instructed man,
to the duties of an emperor, which he left to perhaps learned ; but he over-valued himself,
bis minister Bringas. His wretched wife Theo- and thought himself the best general and the best
phano, who had persuaded him to poison his scholar of his time. Numerous acts of liberality
948.
;
## p. 657 (#673) ############################################
ROMANUS.
657
ROMANUS.
and clemency gained him the hearts of his new the throne. After the death of Constantine, and
subjects at the very beginning of his reign, but during the reign of his widow Eudoxia, he became
did not prevent some court conspiracies. At the bolder ; but his manoeuvres were seen through,
same time his arms met with disgrace in Sicily and he was arrested, tried, and sentenced to death.
and Syria, nor did he retrieve his fortune when he Previous to execution he was presented to the em-
took the field in person. The Arabs worsted him press; and as he had obtained great military re-
near Azar in Syria, and he only escaped captivity nown, and was besides a remarkably handsome
by shutting himself up in Antioch (1030), whence man, he made such a visible impression upon Eu-
he hastened to Constantinople. His lieutenants doxia, that his judges thought it convenient to
Nicetas and Simeon, and especially Theoctistes, annul their sentence, in consequence of which he
however, soon restored the honour of the Greek was sent into nominal exile in his native country
armies. Their success so mortified Argyrus that Cappadocia Two days after his departure he was
he became the prey of a deep melancholy, and joined by some messengers of the empress, who or-
only occupied himself with building churches and dered him to return to Constantinople. At his
convents, his wife Zoë scizing the reins of the arrival there he was immediately appointed com-
empire. Meanwhile the war with the Arabs was mander-in-chief of the army. The end of this
carried on with varying success, till at last the farce was his marriage with the emipress, and his
Grecks obtained great advantages in a decisive proclamation as emperor three days after their
naval engagement, and by the conguest of Edessa, marriage. Constantine X. , however, had left three
which was obliged to surrender in 1033. But the song, who considered themselves prejudiced through
plague ravaged the provinces, and in the North the accession of Romanus, and entered into a dan-
ihe Patzinegues and other barbarians made de gerous plot against his life ; but their mother suc-
structive inroads. These disasters roused Romanus ceeded in pacifying them, and submitting them to
from his indolence. But it was too late: he had her authority. There remained, however, a strong
made himself unpopular for ever, and his own party of malcontents at the court, composed of
family had become strangers to bim. The more eminent and high-born men. Romanus, active and
his generals were successful against the Arabs, the energetic, not only counteracted their plans, but in-
more the nation became convinced that without troduced measures of radical reform into the cor-
him still greater advantages might be obtained. rupted administration, and freed himself from the
Hence arose a criminal intrigue betweeen Zoë, an authority of his wife, by leaving Constantinople
ambitious and voluptuous wife, though past fifty, and keeping his court on the Asiatic side of the
and the general Michael, surnamed Paphlago. Zoë Bosporus.
administered a slow poison to her husband, in To these domestic quarrels the Turks put a sud-
consequence of which he died a lingering death den end. Their sultan, Alp-Arslán, approached
(1034), which was accelerated by the cruel deed | by rapid marches from the shores of the Caspian
of Zoë's assistants, who held the enfeebled em- and the highlands of northern Persia, while one of
peror, who was taking a bath, under water till life his lieutenants attacked Syria. Romanus took the
was nearly gone. Half dead, he was taken out field against them with his usual energy and
and placed on a bed, when his wife despatched promptitude. His intention was to cover Syria,
him by a dose of active poison. Romanus died at and he was already on its frontiers when he was
the age of sixty-six, and was succeeded by Mi- informed of the progress of the Turkish arms in the
chael IV. the Paphlagonian, who married Zoë. North. He consequently left Syria to his generals,
It is certain that Romanus left no issue by Zoë, and marched to Pontus with such rapidity, that he
and it is doubtful whether he had any by Helena ; surprised and routed several Turkish bodies sta-
but his family continued to flourish in Constanti- tioned on its frontier. This was sufficient to keep
nople down to its capture by the Turks, and more the main body of the Turks within Persia. Roo
than 150 years afterwards. (Cedren. p. 722, &c. ; manus therefore hastened back to Syria. He made
Zonar, vol. ii. p. 229, &c. ; Manass. p. 123; Glyc. a successful campaign down to Antioch and up
p. 311, &c. )
(W. P. ] again along the Euphrates, and wherever he carried
ROMA'NUS IV. DIO'GENES ('Pwuards ó his arms the enemy was worsted. One of his ge-
Aloyéms), Byzantine emperor from A. D. 1067— nerals, less fortunate, or less skilful, was surprised
1071, was the son of one Constantine Dingenes, a by the Turks, and lost the day and half of his
rather extravagant character, who conspired against army. Romanus flew to his support; and in a
the emperor Romanus Argyrus, but escaped pursuit nocturnal engagement, took the camp of the Turks
by leaping out of a high window. Romanus Dio and routed them with great slaughter (20th of
genes was the grand-nephew of Romanus Argyrus, November, 1068). He then marched again up
through his mother; and enjoying the patronage the Euphrates as far as Ara, constantly annoyed
of the court notwithstanding his father's conduct, by the light troops of the enemy ; but he placed
soon rose to the dignities of patrician and duke of his troops in good and safe winter-quarters, and
Sardica or Triaditza. In the reign of Constantine returned to the capital. Eudoxia, reconciled to
X. Ducas, he solicited the place of Magnus Ves- her husband, had meanwhile governed the state
tiaring, and having received the answer : “ Deserre with wisdom ; and, in acknowledgment of the vic.
it through your merits," forth with returned to Sartories of the emperor, presented him with a sort of
dica, sallied out with the garrison, and routed a miscellaneous work, entitled " Ionia,” which she
party of Patzinegue marauders, of whose heads had just finished. The campaign was renewed in
he sent a collection to Constantinople. The em- 1069, and the imperial arms were again successful,
peror returned the compliment by granting him the though not uniformly so, as the Turks succeeded
desired appointment, adding: “ You owe your pre- in taking and pillaging Iconivm. The third cam-
ferment not to me, but to your sword. ” This paign, in 1070, was carried on under the command-
piqued Romanus ; and from that time he enter-in-chief of Manuel Comnenus, the emperor requir-
tiined schemes of rebellion and of raising himself to ling repose after so many fatigues. Ere long, news
VOL. III,
UU
## p. 658 (#674) ############################################
656
ROMILIUS.
ROMULUS.
3
renched the court that Manuel had been defeated with his colleague, and sentenced to pay a heavy
and taken prisoner. The emperor was artfully fine.
persuaded by some false friends to refrain from ROMI'LIUS MARCELLUS, one of the cen-
taking the command once more, and matters would turions of the army in Germany, who espoused the
have taken a bad turn, but for the rare shrewdness cause of Galba, and was in conseqnence put to
of Manuel. It happened that Chrysoscul, the death. (Tac. Hist. i. 56, 59. )
victorious Turkish general, pretended to have a ROMİ'LIUS PO'LLIO. (Pollio. ]
better right to the sultanship than Alp-Arslán, and ROMUʻLIUS DENTER, is said to have been
Manuel was no sooner aware of it than, a real appointed praefectus urbi by Romulus. (Tac. Ann.
Comnene as he was, he persuaded him to desert vi. 11. )
the sultan, and fly with him to Constantinople, RO'MULUS, the founder of the city of Rome.
promising him the assistance of the emperor for the It is unnecess:iry in the present work to prore
recovery of his rights. The vanquished thus led that all the stories about Romulus are mythical,
his victor to Constantinople, to the utmost asto- and merely represent the traditional belief of the
nishment of the court. Romanus took as much Roman people respecting their origin. Romulus,
advantage of this strange incident as circumstances which is only a lengthened form of Romus, is
would allow; and, in 1071, again set out in person simply the Roman people represented as an indi.
against Alp-Arslán. But little acquainted with vidual, and must be placed in the same category as
human baseness, he left many of his real friends at Aeolus, Dorus, and Ion, the reputed ancestors of
home, and took with him many a secret enemy the Aeolians, Dorians, and Ionians, owing to the
invested with high power. He penetrated as far universal practice of antiquity to represent nations
as the Araxes, not without a manly resistance from as springing from eponymous ancestors. But
the Turks and many a partial defeat of his ge- although none of the inies about Romulus can be
nerals. His position in those wild regions became received as an historical fact, yet it is of importance
dangerous, but he stoutly refused the peace offered to know the general belief of the Roman people
to himn by the sultan. Upon this a pitched battle respecting the life of the founder of their city. It
was fought at Manzicert on the Araxes (26th of is, however, very difficult to ascertain the original
August, 1071); and owing to the treachery of some form of the legend ; since poets, on the one hand,
of his officers, no less than to the valour of Alp- embellished it with the creations of their own
Arslán, Romanus lost the day and his liberty. It fancy, and historians, on the other hand, omitted
has been said that the noble sultan ill-treated his many of its most marvellous incidents, in order to
captive, but this is not true, on the contrary he re- reduce it to the form of a probable history. The
ceived him well, and discoursed with him as a rarious tales related respecting the foundation of
friend. " What would you have done with me," kome may be reduced to two classes, one of Greek
asked the sultan, “if I had been your prisoner ? ” and the other of native origin. The former bring
“ Beaten you to death,” was the Byzantine's answer. Romulus into close connection with Aeneas. A
"I will treat you differently," replied the barbarian few Greek writers make Aeneas the founder of
infidel, “and according to the precepts of your own Rome, and speak of his wife under the name of
religion, which commands humanity and forgive- Roma ; others represent Romulus as his son or a
ness of injuries. ” Alp-Arslán accordingly gave remote descendant; but the greater part make
him 10,000 pieces of gold, and all those prisoners him his grandson by his daughter Ilia In mos:
whom the emperor chose to pick out. Upon this of these accounts the twin brothers are spoken of,
a peace was concluded on equitable terms, except but they appear under the names of Romulus and
a ransom of 1,500,000, and an annual tribute of Romus, not Remus (comp. Dionys. i. 72, 73;
360,000 pieces of gold. Ronianus shed tears when Plut. Rom. 2, 3; Serv. ad Virg. Aen. i. 274 ;
he took leave of his noble victor, who allowed him Festus, s. v. Roma). These accounts, however,
to return to Constantinople before the conditions of scarcely deserve the name of traditions, as Nie-
the treaty of peace were fulfilled. The news of buhr has remarked; they are for the most part the
this disaster caused a complete revolution in the inventions of Greek writers, who were ignorant of
capital, so that when Romanus appeared at its gates, the native legend, but having heard of the fame of
he was refused admittance. Michael Parapinaces Rome, wished to assign to it an origin.
had been raised to the imperial diguity, but Ro- The old Roman legend was of a very diſ-
manus did his utmost to crush him and recover his ferent kind. It was preserved in popular poems,
throne. He was not successful. Twice defeated which were handed down from generation to
in pitched battles, he at last surrendered, and was generation, and some of which were in existence
put to death by order of Michael. Romanus left in the time of Dionysius (i. 79); and it seems
three sons, of whom Nicephorus made himself to have been recorded in prose in its most ge-
conspicuous in after years. The reign of Romanus muine form by the annalist Q. Fabius Pictor, who
Diogenes, though short, is full of highly interesting lived during the second Punic War. This legend
events, especially of military adventures, such as probably ran nearly as follows:--At Alba Longa
those of the noble Scot Ursel or Russell Baliol ; I there reigned a succession of kings, descended
but space forbids us to enter upon these details. from Iulus, the son of Aeneas. One of the last of
(Zonar. vol. ii. p. 277, &c. ; Glycas, p. 326, &c. ; these kings left two sons, Numitor and Amulins.
Manass. p. 131 ; Bryenn. p. 112, &c. , in the Paris The latter, who was the younger, deprived Numi-
editions. )
[W. P. ] tor of the kingdom, but allowed him to live in the
T. ROMI'LIUS ROCUS VATICA'NUS, was enjoyment of his private fortune. Fearful, how-
consul B. C. 455, with C. Veturius Geminus Cicu- ever, lest the heirs of Numitor might not submit so
rinus, and was a member of the first decemvirate, quietly to his usurpation, he caused his only son
B. C. 451 (Liv. iii. 31, 33; Dionys. x. 33, &c. ; 56). to be murdered, and made his daughter Silvia
Respecting the events in the year of his consulship,
See CICURINUS, No. f. He was condemned along Many writers call her Rhea or Rea Silvia. Nie
:
## p. 659 (#675) ############################################
ROMULUS.
659
ROMULUS.
one of the Vestal virgins. As Silvia one day went | Alba. As the brothers possessed equal authority
into the sacred grove, to draw water for the service and power, a strife arose between them where the
of the goddess, a wolf met her, and she fled into city should be built, who should be its founder,
a care for safety ; there, while a total eclipse ob- and after whose name it should be called. Ro-
scured the sun, Mars himself overpowered her, and mulus wished to build it on the Palatine, Remus
then consoled her with the promise that she should on the Aventine, or, according to another tradition,
be the mother of heroic children (Serv. ad Virg. on another hill three or four miles lower down the
Aen. i. 274 ; Dionys. ii. 56 ; Plut. Rom. 27). river, called Remuria or Remoria, which Niebuhr
When her time came, she brought forth twins. supposes to be the bill beyond S. Paolo (comp.
Amulius doomed the guilty Vestal and her babes to Dionys. i. 85 ; Plut. Rom. 9). It was agreed
be drowned in the river. In the Anio Silvia ex- that the question should be decided by augury ;
changed her earthly life for that of a goddess, and and each took his station on the top of his chosen
became the wife of the river-god. The strain hill. The night passed away, and as the day was
carried the cradle in which the children were lying dawning Remus saw six vultures ; but at sun-rise,
into the Tiber, which had overflowed its banks when these tidings were brought to Romulus,
far and wide. It was stranded at the foot of the twelve vultures flew liy bim. Ench claimed the
Palatine, and overturned on the root of a wild fig. augury in his own favour ; but most of the shep-
tree, which, under the name of the Ficus Rumi- herds decided for Romulus, and Remus was there-
nalis, was preserved and held sacred for many ages fore obliged to yield. Romulus now proceeded to
after.
